How can researchers - minambiente.it€¦ · Econ.); (iii) Price Pollution, and (iv) Conserve & Value Nature (Bio Econ) 2. SP Initiative (Leaders Group) • 30+ prominent business

How can researchers inform and accelerate the shift to a

Green Economy?

Professor Stewart Elgie

Canadian Context

• Green growth agenda stalled in Canada 2007-15 o Key barrier = economy. Highly partisan issue.

o Green growth seen as ‘threat’ (resource/carbon intensive)

• How can researchers help to change this?

• Built env-econ research network (2008+) – not enough

• Change the public debate – create safe space for new gov’t

• Break the env’t versus economy narrative

• Needed (a) credible economic experts - to build understanding / legitimacy on policies for green economy, and (b) prominent leaders (business, NGO, politics) to provide economic credibility and political cover

• Action: Create two major research and policy change initiatives (2013-15)

• Ex-leaders of all political parties

• CEOs of business and NGOs

Advisory

Council

• 11 top fiscal/economic experts

• All independent, highly credible Commissioners

• Coordinate and manage

• Research, writing, comms Secretariat

Goal: Build support for pollution pricing through blue chip economists plus

prominent national leaders (cut across politics and env - economy)

Who is on it? 2 tier structure:

Output and Impact:

• 3 major reports / year (re: pricing) Carbon pricing (main), roads, water, etc

10-15 events/ year

100+ media stories / year

• High impact on policy makers/shapers, and surprisingly big impact on political leaders Lead role in rehabilitating carbon pricing in Canada

Helped shape new government’s carbon pricing policy

Less impact on other pricing issues (so far)

Canada’s Ecofiscal Commish gears up for Green Taxapalooza

Terence Corcoran

What? 2 tier structure

1. SP Institute (research network / think tank hybrid) • Network: 80+ scholars – economy, policy, law (¾ Canadian, ¼ global)

• Expert staff: research, comms, events

• Global partners: e.g. GGKP, Grantham, OECD, RFF, Duke, UCL

• Focus: policies on (i) Clean Innovation; (ii) Resource Efficiency (Circular

Econ.); (iii) Price Pollution, and (iv) Conserve & Value Nature (Bio Econ)

2. SP Initiative (Leaders Group)

• 30+ prominent business CEOs (all sectors) and NGO leaders

• Work with nation’s top communications experts

• Release reports / letters / statements on clean growth

A powerful platform, builds on Institute’s research

Smart Prosperity

Goal: Drive clean growth policy change through (i) policy-relevant

research; (ii) connecting scholars with business, government and

NGO leaders, and (iii) broader communication. Ideas + Impact.

Smart Prosperity

Output and Impact:

• SP Research Institute 15-20 reports, briefs / year (research -> key policy issues)

15-20 events / year (research + policy, interactive)

High impact on policy-makers/shapers and ‘experts’

40-50 media stories / yr; 11,000 social media followers

• SP Initiative (Leaders) 2 major reports per year (built on research)

o Clean growth, innovation, bio-econ, etc

High profile statements by business/NGO CEOs

High impact on political leaders, public debate o Launch generated 500+ stories, trended on twitter, quoted in PM/Premiers speeches

o Letter by 100 CEOs built critical momentum for national climate & clean growth plan

Greenery in Canada We have a winner B.C. carbon tax woos sceptics

Business executives urge

‘bold leadership’ on climate

plan from Justin Trudeau,

premiers

60-plus signatories from a variety of industries including oil and gas, mining and aluminum ask ministers to press ahead with putting a price on carbon.

Lessons and Challenges: Broader

Challenges

• Alignment: academic system d/n reward policy impact

• Most academics aren’t policy change experts Knowledge translation, connection, communication are key

Need ‘intermediary’ skills (bodies)

• Hard to fund in university model Mix of foundations, gov’t, companies, research councils

• Individual universities wanting credit (impediment)

Lessons

• Academics can have real policy impact, with direction and support

• Creating incentives, training, support = hard, but possible

• Building a powerful platform helps (joint action, mobilization, ‘brand’)